Re:Here's a mad idea...

SkipTheDreadnort · Post by **SkipTheDreadnort** » 02 Jul 2004, 18:12

Sorry folks, I'd better clear up the confusion.

By 'KMRPG' I actually meant The Knightmare Roleplay Surrounds board at ProBoards. I did NOT mean the chromakey roleplay filmed by the talented hardcore. Drassil was good enough to realise what I meant and point it out to me via IM, as I'm afraid I have very little knowledge of the RPG film and its crew. Sorry for the mix-up. If you look back through the thread, you'll see that this was briefly discussed before, and it was made quite clear then that I was referring to the Surrounds board, but I should get out of the habit of referring to it as 'KMRPG'.

Furthermore, I will of course be asking permission, that should have gone without saying but it was good of you all to point it out anyway. I haven't decided on a cast list yet, but it will be a short one, and characters will be selected based purely on how well I think they will serve a particular purpose. No nominations or voulunteers will be accepted, strictly invitation only (assuming people accept, of course). But that's far ahead in the future.

I hope that clears up the confusion. Now for your latest Mad Ideas:

Gizensha - I am indeed trying to come up with new causeway combinations and methods of coding, but bear in mind that they must be crystal-clear and easy to see above all else. I fear that a picture of a 'group of sports equipment' may not translate very well, especially at the other end of the causeway where the blocks are much farther away from the 'camera'. I take your point completely, it's a good idea in theory. Though I doubt many people play basketball in Knightmare.

The Wispy Wit - I'll be trying to include an element of 'branching', but there's one flaw in your otherwise excellent idea - I personally would very much enjoy being flung into the Corridor Of Blades, a bomb room, fiendish puzzles and riddles in quick succession, yet by answering riddles correctly and performing my task well, your Tri-Door room would deprive me of the experience. It's almost as if you're rewarding people for being inept - though it's obviously a very fine line. I will continue to develop this idea, though. Can you re-work it in some way? Oh, and you needn't worry about the 'hell reference', because I spell 'Level 3' like H-E-L-L-I-S-H.

You people are Mad. But I like you.

Skip

keke · Post by **keke** » 02 Jul 2004, 19:13

i was thinking for a death the dungeoneer could appear in a room with a door at the end. as they reach the middle of the room while walkign to the door, the ceiling drops rapidly trapping the dungeoneer underneath adn squishing them. up comes the life force clock or whatever ur using in death sequences(probably blood by what you've said so far). then it says oooo nasty. there was no way you could have made it through that room. why did you take that door?

just an idea for a death

TheBrollachan · Post by **TheBrollachan** » 02 Jul 2004, 20:10

Well you could have a room which has the racks & cogs on the wall. In normal situations it could be used as a room that has a clue in or similar and the roof slowly lowers, and the dungeoneer has to be guided to the exit. In death situations the door could have a portculis over it (ie. no escape) and the ceiling lowers at a more rapid speed.

Lowebo · Post by **Lowebo** » 03 Jul 2004, 11:14

I like being called Mad.... MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Ok, make it a little evil then -- Go through semi-incorrect door - Bomb Room and CoB - ok, you'd like it - but... with a twist - ridiculously fast blades and fuse (not so impossible though) and then... three questions, not riddles, which would be along the lines of - what was alexander the great's birthday?! Or like with the last team in s2 (on tv, not series) when the automatum stopped them getting the medal? in this case have that, and a dreadnort (called skip) and a frightknight all after you and you'd have to dodge them? It is quite hard coming up with decent scenarios - wish i could!

FrightKnight · Post by **FrightKnight** » 03 Jul 2004, 20:06

A FrightKnight chasing the player? I like the sound of that...

But then I would, wouldn't I?

No problem with permission if you wanted to use my character, incidentally, although what use you'd have for him besides killing I wouldn't know.

SkipTheDreadnort · Post by **SkipTheDreadnort** » 05 Jul 2004, 18:42

Well FK, since you had the (albeit posthumous) distinction of putting me out of the Battle Royale, I was going to ask you if I could include you anyway! Your main use would be killing, and of course controlling the Causeways. However, I was going to 'humanise' you insofar that you would say stuff. Just like you would in the Surrounds. In fact, I had you pencilled in as the Hands/Lissard character, who did all of Fear's dirty work (and takes all his sh*t when it goes wrong).

Remember our first ever glimpse of Lord Fear in the Spyglass, and all those mindless FKs were zooming around behind him? It would be like that, 'cept with just the one FK, and Fear would be agitated and coming out with lines like "Look, would you just halt the damned pacing back-and-forth, tinhead? You're making me sick just looking at you" and Frightknight would stop what he was doing and come back with a retort like "Sorry your Lordship, I was just trying to look busy so you wouldn't give me any messy jobs to do" or something a lot funnier.

You will naturally be afforded the opportunity to take a few Dungeoneer heads along the way. Interested? Thought so.

By the way, dropping ceilings, along with all other gruesome means of dispatch, will be heavily featured.

I've streamlined my development process, and have got it down to about one complete room per day. That incudes architecture, lighting, incidental detail, objects, traps and events. I knocked up the First Ever Dungeon Room (the one with the four portals) yesterday. I've designed it in monochrome, so I can apply various shading, tinting and lighting at a moment's notice. I even hand-drew a passable Dungeoneer, who stood impassively within the echoing chamber. Unfortunately, that's all he does.

My animation skills are suspect at the best of times, and I may have to liberally hack the good old Doom .wad file for a brief lesson in economical character animaton. My plight is that I have to create animations for the dungeoneer standing, walking, running, turning, jumping, ducking and being killed. In eight different directions. In fact, it's really only the animation that is holding the project back at the moment - that and the horrendously convoluted maths required to get the dungeoneer moving in 3D space.

I'm sad to say that I've had to push the final release date back indefinitely. The end of this month, which was the original deadline, will now be the release date for the first playable demo of Level 1. I hope you won't be too disappointed. This does NOT mean the project will be scrapped - indeed, I'm working on it harder now that I ever have. Stick with me.

I'll be back with some new screens in the next week or so.

Skip

FrightKnight · Post by **FrightKnight** » 05 Jul 2004, 23:43

FK as Lord Fear's assisstant?

LOVELY.

HarveyTowers · Post by **HarveyTowers** » 06 Jul 2004, 20:38

FrightKnight as the assistant would be good

So will the game have music, sound and voices or will the text just appear on the screen?

SkipTheDreadnort · Post by **SkipTheDreadnort** » 07 Jul 2004, 13:29

The game will feature spot effects (spellcasting, footsteps, doors closing, death-knells etc) and ambient loops (dripping of caves, wind, sinister groans). There may be the occasional jingle but probably not a lot of music. I refer you to my earlier note that this is a browser game, and that I'm trying to keep it as streamlined and compact as possible. Voices will therefore not be included. The dialogue will be written in scrolls that appear in the top-left hand corner of the screen. Anyone who's played Final Fatnasty [sic] or Parasite Eve 2 will know what to expect from the dialogue. Anyone expecting Metal Gear Solid should probably go elsewhere.

Skip

keke · Post by **keke** » 18 Jul 2004, 13:38

how about someone that gives off signs that they arent good but still seem to be good. then the dungeoneer would have to think whether to trust them

SkipTheDreadnort · Post by **SkipTheDreadnort** » 02 Aug 2004, 18:43

Hi everyone. Just thought I'd come out of hiding to give you a quick update on how things are progressing.

I've been very quiet round here of late, and with good reason. Remember I said that one of my clients had scrapped their design brief and I was free to dedicate all my time to The Deeper Dungeons? Well, true to form, they came back to me last week and reinstated the project. Plus, they're currently discussing my fee and potential hiring on a semi-permanent basis. Of course, the brief has changed, so I've been forced to start from scratch. Still, it's a pretty impressive turnaround.

I'm sure some of you can see where this is going, so I'll cut straight to it - I have had to temporarily suspend work on The Deeper Dungeons until further notice. This does NOT mean the project is being scrapped - as I've reiterated countless times, I am 100% committed to seeing the project through to its completion. It simply means that I have other priorities to attend to. I stated this unequivocally at the beginning of the project, and I hope you all understand.

The game engine is practically complete, so the next phase will be character and level design. I will be posting new developments as and when they happen. As a guide though, my current brief has a projected deadline six weeks from now. So who knows, I might have a nice little Hallowe'en present for everyone when I return.

Thanks for your patience. This thread will remain open, so please continue to submit your ideas and queries in the meantime.

Skip

Gizensha · Post by **Gizensha** » 03 Aug 2004, 04:51

Course we understand

FrightKnight · Post by **FrightKnight** » 03 Aug 2004, 15:37

Hallowe'en? Perfec'!

As long as you don't rush it out like Driv3r, or something, there should be nothing wrong.

Gizensha · Post by **Gizensha** » 03 Aug 2004, 15:41

You mean they didn't intend Driv3r to be an extraordinarially stupid excuse for a coaster?

SkipTheDreadnort · Post by **SkipTheDreadnort** » 03 Aug 2004, 20:54

No, it will not be a Driver 3, Enter The Matrix or Bruce Lee situation. I am like the Grolsch brewery - I'll only let you play it when it's ready.

Skip